Saturday, September 8, 2012

Very
rarely will I stop an album before it finishes just to start it again. Two
songs into the latest Bark!
recording, Fume of Sighs, I realized
that I was becoming very overwhelmed with what I was hearing. I removed my
earbuds and took a moment to process what was happening. It was too much too
fast. There we're guitar scrapes, rhythmic clatters and samples of unknown
origin all convulsing my ears. I can't help myself from referring to the band's
name here. It sounded like three dogs from three different breeds in the same
kennel barking at each other, but in perfect syncopation.

I started
the album again, knowing more of what to expect which bought me some more time
for analysis and eventually words to choose when writing about what I was
ingesting.

The facts
of the matter are; Rex Casswell on electric guitar, Phillip Marks on drums, and
Paul Obermayer triggering the samples, everything else is a big grey area. A
grey area as in there are parts where all of the instruments sound as one, and
times where they are so far apart you would swear they were being conducted in
order to stay together. Time and
rhythm are thrown out the window as they quickly establish their own way
to talk to each other. It works due to its surprise and persistence. I will
coin it projectile rhythming. (Sorry spell checker.)

On songs
like 'Zodiac', the sampler takes on less of an
electronic buzz and crispness and transforms into more of a percussive element
which blurs the lines even more.

'Trampoline' slows things down a little and even gives room for some
duo interaction as one at a time, one musician drops out allowing the other two
a moment to explore. It was this track in particular that really shone a light
on the sampler and just how effective it can be when coloring a track.
Obermayer performs like a painter would looking for unused areas of canvas to
use. It could be a sample panned hard left or hard right or directly after a
downbeat or just before a guitar interjection. Just an array of sounds bouncing
around in your head as you listen. Either way he consistently hits them like an
archer.

'Morse Eyes', gives us a taste of that these guys can do when they play
around with melody. Marks once again displaying his ability to stop playing on
a dime and pick up again just as quickly.

Unfortunately
there has to be a downfall and for me it is my attention span. As great and as
fresh as the beginning of the album was for me, I did find myself not as
engaged as the album was coming to its conclusion. Full marks however for
giving me something to get excited about and forcing me to look at rhythm in a
new way.